Last Stop For Paul - from the web to the silver screenby Mark Shapiro This is an amazing film - that proves you don't have to have a giant budget, big name actors or actresses, or even expensive special effects to create an interesting and accessible movie. So much for packaging. With a great story, wonderful actors and lots of enthusiasm, a couple of DV camcorders, you could do this.... watch the trailer here It is just a simple story. Two guys take a trip around the world to drop off the ashes of one of their departed buddies. - Hence, the Paul of the movie's title. The climax of the trip is the giant infamous Full Moon Party in Thailand. We follow the two young guys as they experience travel and adventures - it is sort of like a humorous re-telling of the Iliad and Odyssey mashed together - complete with sexy sirens who threaten to derail the boy's journey. Sex, romance, adventure, thrills, chase sequences - "Last Stop for Paul" touches all the bases. The occasional flashbacks and obscure story threads - even though they do obscure the plot a bit and derail the concept of a road movie - are hilarious and help make the film. In addition to the story, film makers will be very interested in how the production team actually shot and made the movie. According to producer, director and leading man Neil Mandt, many of the ancillary characters were just "found". He threw the words at them and they then repeated them back. Surprisingly, he actually got some incredible raw performances out of that technique. However, I imagine the editing process must have been a nightmare as they had to cut bits and pieces together to create performances that flowed seamlessly into their movie.
By the way, the Internet version - a series of short "webisodes," which represent about 25% of the feature film, has been entertaining web fans for over eight months. "Last Stop for Paul" has been nominated for two Webby Awards.
In October, you will be able to see the flick at your local theatre, you can watch the net version at www.laststopforpaul.com right now or you can wait until it finally hits the video stores. It is definitely a trip worth making. As there are some minor drug and gentle sex scenes, this is not for the little kids.
Have you had a chance to watch Last Stop for Paul (www.laststopforpaul.com <http://www.laststopforpaul.com>), the Webby-award nominated Internet series, produced, directed by and starring multiple Emmy-winner Neil Mandt. Last Stop for Paul will open in theaters this October-the first Internet 'webisode' series in history to get a theatrical release.
Shot entirely on location, Last Stop for Paul, a buddy-road comedy like none before, chronicles the adventures of two friends who travel around the world to scatter the ashes of their recently deceased friend. As they travel from country to country they meet a myriad of interesting characters and have the adventure of a lifetime.
It's a tough call as to which is better: Last Stop for Paul, or the way Last Stop for Paul was made. The reviews and awards speak for themselves, but what you probably don't know is the story behind the story--which is nothing short of amazing. In the Spring of 2005, veteran Writer, Producer, Director Neil Mandt and Cinematographer Marc Carter set out on an around the world journey to film the story about two guys traveling to the famous Full Moon Party in Thailand. All they had was one camera, two wireless microphones, three batteries, and a rough story outline. They traveled without a crew, a cast or having scouted one location; all of this was to be done on the fly.
There weren't any casting calls along the way, just strangers picked up on the street to either act in a scene or hold the camera as Neil and Marc delivered their improvised lines. The outcome has proven to be a smart, funny and poignant story about world travel. The experience of making Last Stop For Paul was like none other in the history of Hollywood . No cast, no crew, no script, great result. See for yourself. |
